Loose leaf notebook binder



May 25, 1937. v THOMAS 2,081,372

LOOSE LEAF NOTEBOOK BINDER Filed Augl. 23, 1935 Fatentci Ma 25" UNITEDSTATES PATEWT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to binders.

An object of the invention is the provision of loose leaf note book abinder for loose leaf note books in which the the ring sections aredisplaced relatively to each other and so spread apart for the receptionof the loose leaves, one half of said sections then being evencloser tothe topmember to receive new leaves and the other half of the sectionsstanding so high that the leaves already held thereon will not shift outof place. 7

A further object of the invention is the provision of a binder forloose-leaf note books'in which a plurality of rings are employed forretaining the loose leaves in position with the rings" being split andadapted to be opened after being rocked or revolved to a predeterminedposition so that the opening of the split rings will not cause shiftingof theleaves already retained by the rings, a shaft being employedhaving a cam for causing opening of the split rings and being pivotedalong a line which approximates the centers of the rings so that whenthe rings are revolved the axis of revolution will be at the center ofthe rings, the free ends of the split rings by such rocking movementbeing properly positioned with respect to the outermost leaves so thatnew leaves may be placed thereon but in substantial alignment withpreviously placed leaves.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawingforming a part of the specification; nevertheless, it' is to beunderstood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure, beingsusceptible of such changes and modifications as define no materialdeparture from the salient features of the invention as expressed in theappended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing theloose-leafbinder constructed in accordance with the principles of myinvention,

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the binder, I

Figure 3 is a plan view with parts broken away showing the rings inclosed position,

Figure 4 is a plan View similar to that shown in Fig. 3 showing therings in open position,

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 5--5 ofFigure 2, and

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section, taken along the line 66 ofFigure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I ll generally designates acasement or housing of a binder for enclosing the mechanism forcontrolling the operation of the split rings which retain the looseleaves in position. The housing has a curved bottom portion H, a fiattop I2, and offset portions l3 and M which rise above the top l2 and aresubstantially V-shaped. End walls [5 and i6 conform to the contour ofthe opposite ends of the curved bottom II and the V-shaped members I3and M.

A shaft, generally designated by the numeral 20, has a crank portion 20which is provided with a return bent portion 2| forming a cam. The shafthas right angular portions 22 forming part of the crank and formingconnecting links between the shaft proper and the crank 20*. Thesections, designated by the numerals 23 and 24 of the shaft 20, aremounted in bearings 25 which are secured to the offset portions I3 and Mof the housing Ill. The portion 24 is provided with a crank arm 26whereby the portions 23 and 24 may be rotated on a horizontal axis whilethe crank 20* will be rocked along the curved bottom ll of the housing.

A'rod 36 is mounted in bearings 3! which are free of the curved bottomll of the housing and adapted to move over said curved bottom. This rodhas at each of its opposite ends a section 32 of a ring, generallydesignated by the numeral 33. The sections 32 of the rings 33 areadapted to be moved outwardly from a vertical plane passing through theshaft 20'.

A second rod 34 is also mounted in the bearings 3| and is in closeassociation not only with the rod 30 but with the crank 26*. Theopposite ends of the rod 34 are provided with supplementary sections 35of the rings 33. The free end of the section 32 of the split ring 33 isprovided with a V-shaped portion 36 adapted to engage within acomplementarily formed V-shaped notch 31 of the section 35 of each ofthe rings 33 so that when the ring is closed a substantially smoothround surface will be provided.

The rod 30 is provided with an upstanding offset portion 40 and thisoifset portion is provided with-a lateral offset portion 41 adapted toreceive the free end of the cam member 2| of the crank 20*. The rod 34is also provided with a similarly formed upstanding offset portion 42which has a lateral offset portion 43 which cooperates with the lateraloffset portion 4| to provide a pocket in which the upper free end of thecam 2| is wholly received.

A resilient wire forming a spring, generally designated by the numeral45, has its free ends bent around the offset portion 40, as shown at 46.This spring wire is carried beneath the offset portions 40 and 42 at oneside of the lateral portions 4| and 43, then brought upwardly andextended along the outer face of the offset portion 42 above the lateralportion 43, then downwardly and be neath the offset portions 40 and 42at the opposite side of the lateral portions 4| and 43. This springmember 45 tends at all times to maintain the upstanding portions 40 and42, respectively, of the rods 36 and 34 in contact with each other withthe free end of the cam 2| located in the pocket formed by the lateraloffset portions 4| and 43.

The operation of my device is as follows: Figures 1, 2 and 3 show therings 33 in closed position. When it is desired to add loose leaves tothe binder the lever 26 is rocked until the free ends of the sections ofthe rings approach the ends 56 of the slots 5| formed in the top memberl2 of the housing H1. The lever 26 is then pulled outwardly from thehousing for reciprocating the shaft 20 and likewise the crank 2|] to theright in Fig. 4 whereby the cam 2| will leave the pocket between thelateral portions 4| and 43 and the cam will ride between the previouslycontacted inner edges of the horizontally disposed offset portions 40and 42 whereby the rods or shafts 30 and 34 will be rocked, causing therings 33 to split. Thus the free ends 36 of the sections 32 of the ringswill be moved adjacent the ends 50 of the slots 5| while the free ornotched ends 31 of the sections 35 will move in the opposite direction.By this means it is possible to apply new loose leaves to the binder.

Before leaves are added the lever 26 is rocked only sufficiently tocause the free ends 36 of the rings 33 to be moved in close proximity tothe outermost loose leaves previously supported by the rings.

It will be seen by this construction that each time that it is desiredto apply loose leaves to the binder that the lever 26 isrocked to causerotation of the shaft 20 and the crank 2|] and the lever is alsoreciprocated to cause shifting of the cam 2| for opening the rings.

The sections of the ring when rotated together about the axis of shaft20 will move through a curved path which will not in any way disturb theloose leaves which have been previously applied.

The shaft 20 has its rocking axis in a horizontal line which passessubstantially through the axes of the rings 33 and this constructionprovides for the rotation of the rings bodily around a horizontal axiswhereby when the sections of the rings are moved apart they will notshift or displace the loose leaves already retained on the ring.

I claim:

1. A loose leaf binder comprising a housing, a shaft in the housing,means for rockably and slidably mounting said shaft, said shaft having acrank, a cam on the crank, a pair of ring-operating rods in closeassociation with the crank, means for retaining said rods in suchassociation, offset portions on the rods, a resilient means for holdingsaid offset portions in engagement, said offset portions having a spacetherebetween to receive the cam, split rings, each comprising onesection secured to one end of a respective rod, and another sectionconnected to the adjacent end of the other rod, means whereby the shaftmay be slidably reciprocated for forcing the cam between the offsetportions for rocking the rods and moving the sections of the rings awayfrom each other, said means being operable whereby the shaft and crankmay be rocked for varying the position of the free ends of the sectionsof the split rings.

2. A loose leaf binder comprising a housing, a shaft in the housing,means for rockably and slidably mounting said shaft, said shaft having acrank, a cam on the crank, a pair of ringoperating rods in closeassociation with the crank, means for retaining said rods in suchassociation, offset portions on the rods, a resilient means for holdingsaid offset portions in engagement, said offset portions having a spacetherebetween to receive the cam, split rings, each comprising onesection secured to one end of a respective rod, and another sectionconnected to the adjacent end of the other rod, means whereby the shaftmay be slidably reciprocated for forcing the cam between the offsetportions for rocking the rods and moving the sections of the rings awayfrom each other, said means being operable whereby the shaft and crankmay be rocked for varying the position of the free ends of the sectionsof the split rings, said shaft being disposed substantially in a linewhich passes through the axes of the rings.

3. A loose leaf binder comprising a base member having bearings, a shaftrockably and reciprocably mounted in the bearings and provided with acrank which crank is adapted to be moved through an arc of a circle whenthe shaft is rocked, means whereby the shaft may be rocked andreciprocated, a pair of rods rockably supported by the crank andprovided with projections normally in contact with each other, a splitsection of a ring secured to one rod, a complementary split section ofthe ring secured to the other rod, the splits in the ring sections beingvaried in position relatively to the base member when said shaft isrocked, a cam carried by the crank and adapted to be moved between theprojections when the shaft is reciprocated for moving the projectionsapart and for rocking the rods in opposite directions so that thesections of the ring will be moved apart.

4. A loose leaf binder comprising a base member having bearings, a shaftrockably and reciprocably mounted in the bearings and provided with acrank which crank is adapted to be moved through an arc of a circle whenthe shaft is rocked, means whereby the shaft may be rocked andreciprocated, a pair of rods' rockably supported by the crank andprovided with projections normally in contact with each other, a splitsection of a ring secured to one rod, a complementary split section. ofthe ring secured t0 the other rod, a cam carried by the crank andadapted to be moved between the projections when the shaft isreciprocated for moving the projections apart and for rocking the rodsin opposite directions so that the sections of the ring will be movedapart, the axis of the shaft being approximately in line with the axisof the ring so that when the crank is rocked the ring will move in acircular path.

5. A loose leaf binder comprising a base member having bearings, a shaftrockably and slidably mounted in the bearings and provided with a crank,a pair of rods rockably mounted on the crank, rings formed ofsemi-circular sections, a section of each ring secured to one rod, theother sections being secured to the other rod, means by which to rockthe shaft and crank thus to move said sections relatively to the basemember, said means also being used to slide the shaft and. crank, andmeans on the crank adapted when the crank is slid to cause rocking ofthe rods in opposite directions for moving the sections of all ringsapart.

6. A loose leaf binder comprising a base member having bearings, a shaftrockably and slidably mounted in the bearings and provided with a crank,a pair of rods rockably mounted on the crank, rings formed ofsemi-circular sections, a section of each ring secured toone rod, theother sections being secured to the other rod, means on the crankadapted when the crank is slid to cause rocking of the rods in oppositedirections for moving the sections of each ring apart, whereby the shaftand crank may be reciprocated'and the shaft rocked, said shaft being ina line which passes substantially through the axes of the rings, therocking of the shaft causing the crank to revolve the rings around theaxis of said shaft.

7. A loose leaf binder comprising a hollow housing having a slotted top,axially alined split rings protruding through the slots from inside ofthe housing, each ring consisting of two sections, a ring-carryingdevice capable of operation according to twomotions, one motion turningthe rings on their common axis to bring the splits near to the top, theother motion separating the ring sections, the lowest sections thenbeing in position to receive new leaves and the highest sectionsretaining the leaves already em- JAMES M. THOMAS.

